The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday announced that it will contest the Bihar Assembly Elections independently, signalling a possible strain in its alliance with the Congress and RJD.
JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said the party would field candidates in six constituencies, adding that the party will “review” its alliance with the INDIA bloc partners in Jharkhand after the Bihar elections.
“The party has decided to contest the Bihar polls on its own,” Bhattacharya said at a press conference. “We will fight, win, and ensure that without the JMM, no government is formed in Bihar.”
JMM to field candidates in six key constituencies
Elections to the 243 seats of the Bihar Assembly will take place on November 6 and November 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.
JMM will contest six seats in the second phase on November 11: Chakai, Dhamdaha, Katoria (ST), Manihari (ST), Jamui and Pirpainti (SC).
The party had earlier demanded 12 seats from the INDIA bloc as an ally, but did not receive a “respectful number,” leading to the decision to go solo.
The JMM had on October 11 informed INDIA bloc partners that it would decide its course of action if the seat-sharing issue was not resolved by October 14.
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Bhattacharya reminded allies that in the 2019 Jharkhand elections, JMM had supported the Congress and RJD, giving seven seats to RJD and helping one of its MLAs become a minister.
“Even in the 2024 Jharkhand polls, we gave six seats to the RJD and accommodated one of their MLAs as minister,” Bhattacharya said. “But in Bihar, our demand for 12 seats was not respected.”
‘Multi-corner fight’ expected in Bihar
According to the JMM, the upcoming Bihar elections will be a multi-cornered battle, with infighting visible in both the NDA and INDIA bloc.
“The battle of Bihar will be tough. But JMM will fight and win its share,” Bhattacharya asserted. “We will also relook at the coalition in Jharkhand after these polls.”
The party’s decision signals possible political realignments in Jharkhand after the Bihar elections.
The JMM has also announced a list of 20 star campaigners for the Bihar elections.
The campaign will be led by party president and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Other prominent campaigners include: Kalpana Soren, Gandey MLA and wife of CM Hemant Soren, Basant Soren, Dumka legislator, Stephen Marandi, senior party leader and Sarfaraj Ahmed, party leader.
The party is expected to launch its campaign blitz in the coming weeks, focusing on tribal rights, development, and regional representation.
